Sprawlcast

For the first time in its 140-year history, the Calgary Herald has no fixed address. But the paper has been in slow decline for decades. What do we lose when the city’s largest newspaper is decimated?

Team Sprawl gathers by the (metaphorical) fireside to reflect on the year that was—and to look ahead. Featuring Ximena González and Sam Hester.

It was supposed to be the foundation of Calgary's transit system: CTrains and buses arriving every 10 minutes. But it didn't last long. We dig into what happened—and what's next.

Zoning shapes our lives. But for many of us, this powerful tool remains hidden and confusing. Jeremy Klaszus speaks with Sara Bronin, a Cornell University professor and director of the National Zoning Atlas in the U.S., about why zoning matters—and how to better understand it.

This episode begins with a quick crash course on the history of zoning in Calgary:

—How zoning bylaws were created in the 1930s to protect property values

—How Calgary's growth pattern was established in the 1950s, then entrenched

—How city hall shied away from changing zoning in the '60s and '70s, instead embracing a status quo that perpetuated car-reliant sprawl

In my conversation with Sara Bronin, we discuss:

—The hidden ways zoning affects our lives socially, economically and environmentally

—How zoning 'kills housing by a thousand cuts’

—How requirements like parking minimums further perpetuate sprawl

Please support in-depth Calgary journalism by becoming a Sprawl member! Sign up at sprawlcalgary.com

After fast-tracking five new communities this summer, council members grapple with whether or not to go through with it in light of their own climate policies.

This summer, city council approved a climate strategy and fast-tracked more new suburban communities. Now Mayor Jyoti Gondek wants city administration—and not council—to be the ones deciding whether or not future communities get built.

Some love him. Some hate him. But for better or worse, Stephen Carter has altered Alberta politics. Journalist Taylor Lambert digs into the many ups and downs of Carter's career: his business debts, his politics, his graceless departures from three chief-of-staff roles, and his many grievances.

In July, Calgary city council is slated to vote on a new climate strategy. But will this one be any different than past plans that have been passed—and then ignored? This episode features interviews with Christine Laing of the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good and Tony Snow of the Calgary Climate Hub.